“No, Reverend Weston. I know what I heard. Someone saved my life. And though I don’t know him, I’m deeply indebted to him.” She tipped her head back to look up into his eyes. Her own were troubled. “Ruby explained it by saying that in the bayou everyone believes in the presence of guardian angels. Is that part of your culture, as well? Do you believe it was a…guardian angel who saved me?”
He gave her a dangerous smile. “It might have been.” The smile grew. “But more than likely it was a stranger just passing by who saw a need and responded to it.”
“But why would he leave without revealing himself?”
His gaze fastened on her lips, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks.
“I can see that this disturbs you, Miss Jewel. But I don’t see why it matters so much. You’re safe. You walked away unharmed.”
The breeze caught a strand of her hair and flayed it against her cheek. Without thinking he reached up and caught it, watching through narrowed eyes as it sifted between his fingers.
Jade couldn’t breathe. Her heart was thundering so loudly in her chest, she was certain he could hear.
When he realized what he’d done, he lowered his hand to his side, where he clenched it into a fist. “And you’ve probably learned a valuable lesson about the perils of traveling alone in this desolate land.”
She let out the breath she’d been unconsciously holding. Sweet heaven, she’d feared he would kiss her. And the truth was, she couldn’t be certain whether or not she would have resisted.
“Now you sound like Diamond.” Highly agitated, she stalked to her carriage. “Thank you for the coffee, Reverend Weston.”
“Any time, Miss Jewel.” He placed a hand beneath her elbow to assist her into the rig.
Her pulse speeded up and she blamed it on anger.
As she took up the reins he said, “I hope you’ll be cautious on your ride into town.”
“You needn’t fear.” She flicked the reins, and the horses lurched ahead. “I wouldn’t want to test my guardian angel too often. By the time the Golden Dragon is completed, he may be the only one left on my side.”
Deep in thought, Wade watched until her carriage disappeared below a ridge. Then he returned to the campfire and tossed his lukewarm coffee into the flames.
“Reverend Weston, look what Agnes made for you.” Lavinia Thurlong had a death grip on her daughter’s arm, shoving her forward until she was standing directly in front of the handsome minister.
“It’s a blackberry pie.” Agnes blushed and giggled as their fingers brushed.
“Thank you, Agnes. That’s very kind of you.” Wade gave her a gentle smile and set the pie on the windowsill of Durfee’s Mercantile. Once a week he held services in the back room. The people came from miles around to hear his ringing sermons.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jade step down from her carriage, flanked by her three sisters. He fought to cover his surprise.
“Agnes is the best pie baker in Hanging Tree.” At the moment it wasn’t her daughter’s baking skills that interested Lavinia. The only thing she had on her mind was snagging an eligible bachelor for eighteen-year-old Agnes.
Agnes was a pretty little thing, with a headful of dark curls, big brown eyes and a dimple in each cheek. The trouble was, all the cowboys for miles around were sniffing after her. And none of them was what her mother considered proper husband material.
Now, Reverend Wade Weston, on the other hand, was handsome enough to make even Lavinia’s heart flutter. And every mother knew that a man of God would make an excellent husband. After all, the town minister and his family always had a place to sleep and food on the table. Not like farmers, who had to scratch a living from the soil. Or cowboys, who were always off chasing a dream, or another herd of mustangs. And from Reverend Weston’s sermons he was known to be kind, considerate, thoughtful. In short, every mother’s dream.
“I guess she takes after you, Lavinia,” Wade said, keeping his smile carefully in place as Jade trailed her sisters up the steps.
Lavinia blushed nearly as much as her daughter. With matching smiles the two women filed into the room and took their places alongside their neighbors.
“Morning, Wade.” Diamond greeted him affectionately.
“Good morning, Diamond.” He accepted her handshake. “Where’s Adam?”
“Out with the herd on the north range.”
“Send him my best.” He turned to Pearl, who was lowering her parasol. “I see Cal didn’t join you.”
“He and the boys are with Adam. This time of year there’s just too much to do out on the range.”
“I understand.” He smiled at Ruby, who was adjusting her shawl to hide her revealing neckline. “I’m happy to see you, Ruby.”
“You would have seen a whole lot more of me if Diamond hadn’t reminded me to cover up.” She knotted the ends of the shawl and tossed them carelessly over her shoulder before sauntering inside the mercantile. “Wouldn’t want to create a scandal,” she muttered.
The eyes of every man in the room riveted on her as she followed her sisters up the aisle to a row of vacant seats.
Wade was still chuckling when he turned to Jade with his hand outstretched. “Good morning.” He kept his tone deliberately bland, though he felt suddenly too warm.
This day she was wearing a gown of pale blue silk, with mandarin collar and black frog fasteners. Her long hair had been twisted into an elegant knot on top of her head, with little tendrils slipping loose to kiss her cheeks and the nape of her neck.
“I’m glad you came with your sisters. I was afraid you might begin to avoid Sunday services.”
“And miss hearing you warn the good people of Hanging Tree about the evil woman in their midst?”
He nearly laughed at the sparks that shot from her eyes. She was daring him to rile the congregation. And he was a man who had always loved a challenge. But he wasn’t here to cause trouble. He would rather prevent it whenever possible.
She shot a look at the steaming pie. “An admirer, Reverend?”
“It’s Wade,” he said with a wicked smile. “And the pie is from Agnes Thurlong.”
Jade returned his smile with a sugary one of her own. “A fine choice. Agnes is shy and sweet. She’d never give anyone a moment of trouble.”
Unspoken laughter warmed his voice. “I see you came to town prepared to goad me into a fight.”
Jade lifted her chin a fraction. “I came today because Diamond suggested that Sunday assembly would afford me an opportunity to face Lavinia and the others who have begun a whispering campaign against me.”
Wade wanted to tell her they weren’t whispers. They had grown loud. And ugly.
“I’ll warn you again, Miss Jewel. Tread carefully. Even neighbors can become a dangerous mob, given the right set of circumstances.”
He saw the way her eyes narrowed, and realized his warning had fallen on deaf ears.
“I also came today to thank my guardian angel.”
If he was surprised, he managed to hide it. “And how would you recognize this paragon?”
“At the end of your service you always ask if anyone has any news they wish to share with the congregation. I’ve been thinking that I would plead